April 9, 2011 (Updated May 9, 2023)

Rugged Maniac 5k: “Run Like Crazy and Try Not to Die”

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

66 comments

Ohmygod. This morning’s Rugged Maniac 5k race was SO insane! And totally awesome.

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Here I am with Tina and fellow NC blogger Heather just after finishing the race. Yep, we’re totally soaked, ha.

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I’ve definitely never been that dirty before in my entire life 😉

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Brrrr it was COLD today! We were freezing before and after the race. Where did you go, sunshine and summery weather?! 

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And we’re off! I almost lost a shoe to this mud — it was deep!

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Our first obstacle involved crawling through a mud pool with BARBED WIRE above us. Holy crapppp! Ha.

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This obstacle was kind of scary! Higher than it looks 🙂

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Yep, we leapt over fire. No big deal. 

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“Wait, so… you’re gonna give us a leg up… right?!” 🙂

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The grand finale was a slide into a massive pool of muddy water! We were all assuming it was going to be about waist deep, but then Tina went down and completely submerged with one enormous splash! Heather and I looked at each other, took a deep breath, and down we went 🙂

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It was DEEP!

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Was that seriously my morning?! Best/most ridiculous race ever. We will definitely be doing more… but hopefully the weather will be a little warmer next time 😉

- anne

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66 comments
  • Sana
    You spent your morning bonding with some mud. NBD!
    Reply
  • chandra
    I love it! I would have been freaked out about the barbed wire - I probably would have poked my head or got my hair caught in it! lol
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Yeah Heather got her hair caught a bit! Eeeek!
      Reply
  • Ali
    Haha. You guys are hilarious. I love that you did this. Great photos!
    Reply
  • Hats @ See How She Runs
    Mucky and cold but still looks like great fun! I loved obstacle courses as a kid but nothing as hardcore as this haha.
    Reply
  • Ash Bear
    I definitely don't think I could ever do a muddy 10k but a 5k with friends could be fun. I'm glad no one hurt themselves! Have fun showering!
    Reply
  • heidi @ runaroundaroo
    Looks like you had a blast! It never fails that the weather goes down hill for races that involve getting wet and dirty! What kind of camera did you have with you for the race? Did you take a regular digital camera? I've run a few mud races but have been afraid to take my camera with for fear of ruining it! (I'm assuming you had a camera on course...those are some pretty wicked pictures if they were all spectator photos!)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      We ran with Tina's really old beat up point and shoot in a plastic bag :) And tossed it to the side before the last slide into the water!
      Reply
      • heidi @ runaroundaroo
        Good idea! I am running the Tough Mudder WI race in July...after reading through the course and obstacles I've decided I NEED a camera!
        Reply
    • Sarah
      I was going to ask the same question! I have a mudder in june and i thought have a camera on the course just wasnt going to happen, but now i think i can make it work because I have an old beat up WATERPROOF CAM! scoorreeee!
      Reply
  • Andrea @ Run, Eat, Date, Sleep
    LOVE this! Although, I would have walked right back to the finish line when I saw that wall. I'm terrible with stuff like that, especially knowing someone has to left my hefty butt.
    Reply
  • Alysa (InspiredRD)
    How fun is that??? I have always wanted to do a race like that. You are a rockstar girlie :)
    Reply
  • Renie
    I love it. I can tell you all had a blast. This is something I would love to watch others do as long as I was on the sidelines.
    Reply
  • Stephanie
    The kid who started rugged maniac was someone a good friend of mine knew in lawschool! Glad you had fun!!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      No way! That's awesome :)
      Reply
  • Evan Thomas
    That race is epic. I would do something like that in a heartbeat, although I hate water so that last part might have killed me.
    Reply
  • Gina
    Looks like so much fun!! Makes the race so much less painless when you're having that much fun :)
    Reply
  • Caitlyn (The Spoonful of Life)
    That looks insanely fun (minus the cold)! My brother did a mud run and a Tough Mudder race this past month and raves about them. Once I run my 1/2 marathon at the end of April, I'm signing up to get muddy!
    Reply
  • Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete
    I loved this!! I so wish I could have done it with you guys. So much fun!! We are doing a race like this in a couple of months, and this is seriously getting my amped for it!!
    Reply
  • Rose
    Nice run!!!!!! I love mud run!
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  • Briana
    That looks hysterical!! Kinda like the Warrior Dash I'm dying to do this summer! Glad you had fun! Enjoy getting that mud outta your ears ;)
    Reply
  • Cari
    This looks like so much fun!! I love the pictures!
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  • The Teenage Taste
    That race looks like so much fun! I would love to do a race like that! :-)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      I'm not! They were SO disgusting and completely salvageable. The race packet told us to wear throw away stuff, so the sneakers I wore were a REALLY old pair I was getting ready to toss, anyway :) The only thing I actually kept that I was wearing was my sports bra!
      Reply
  • DHP
    You've got to be kidding! Awesome! Really funny... :-)
    Reply
  • Kristi
    I think this run looks like so much fun! I wish we had something around here like that.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      I bet you do! They have these Rugged Maniac races all over the country - check out their website and see if there's one near you!
      Reply
  • Adventurer
    What an awesome race. Kudos to the three of you for doing it. Looks hilarious! Well done! (But when's your next serious 5K; time for a new PR at that distance before it gets too warm!)
    Reply
  • Sarah (Running To Slow Things Down)
    I love this! It's like being a kid all over again, except it's okay to get dirty and messy in the mud. I could really get into this sort of thing. :D
    Reply
  • Jill K
    Anne, you are so hilarious! This is the funniest Blog I've ever read!!! I LOVE it... :-)
    Reply
  • Ryan @ Aloha Appetite
    That sounds like SO MUCH FUN! Reminds me of the Swamp Romp they have our military guys do over here. ;) Go girl!
    Reply
  • Marci
    That looks so crazy! How long did that take? You must be finding mud in all sorts of places.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      We actually have no idea how long it took! Maybe like 35 minutes?!
      Reply
  • Kristen
    sounds like so much fun!! races should always be that fun, although Im sure you will be finding mud for a few days haha
    Reply
  • MegaNerd
    That looks like absolute insanity. So fun!!
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  • Katherine C
    That looks like so much fun!! Now on the lookout for one in Australia : )
    Reply
  • Cate
    Whoa what a crazy fun race! Looks like you had a great time! :)
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  • Cassie @ Back to Her Roots
    Okay, I am totally fascinated about HOW you took photos? I'm doing one of these in June and am trying to figure out how to document it on the blog without totally ruining my camera. Did you have a camera man tag along?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Tina had a really old beat up point and shoot she wasn't worried about wrecking, so we ran with it in a ziplock bag! She either carried it or had it in her sports bra when we were climbing through/over things. And at the end just before the slide into the water we tossed it off the side. It survived but got SUPER dirty and gross, so I wouldn't recommend bringing a nice camera! Your best bet? Just buy a waterproof disposable :)
      Reply
  • Michele
    That is CRAZY! lol Sounds like you had a great time though!
    Reply
  • Lisa @ lists in my pocket
    This looks so fun, I want to do this race!! :) Totally reminds me of the Real World/Road Rules challenges.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Ha, yeah! It was totally was.
      Reply
  • Elissa
    I'm doing the Runamuck in Md in 2 weeks. Any tips? Were you able to salvage the clothes you wore for the race?
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Wear clothes and shoes you don't mind throwing away after! Nothing was salvageable! Bring a change of clothes for after and a towel so you can get out of your nasty stuff :) And most of all: have fun!!
      Reply
  • Heather C
    Haha, gah I can't wait to do something like this. There's a Boulder-version in August, definitely signing up. Who doesn't want to be the "dirtiest ever"?! ;) lol Best line: "Yep, we leapt over fire. No big deal.". No, Anne P, BIG DEAL.
    Reply
  • brooke
    oh man! i just came across your blog today. i wish i would have found you earlier, i would have come! i also live in ch (i work for UNC and my husband is in grad school here)... that looked like SO much fun.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Aw no way! Bummer! It WAS fun :)
      Reply